The weather in South Bend, Indiana, is extreme all year round.
- The summer brings UV light and humidity.
The spring and fall seasons tend to be rainy and windy. Winters are especially long, with temperatures well below freezing and lots of snow. The conditions are tough on the roof. Ice, sleet, hail, pests, blizzards and thunderstorms undermine the durability, curb appeal and longevity of the roofing system. I was reluctant to replace my roof. The shingles had leaked and been repaired and re-roofed so many times that the whole system needed to be torn off. There was extensive water damage. I knew that it would be a very costly, lengthy and invasive project. I procrastinated for as long as possible. Every time it rained, I would run around and place buckets under the drips from the ceiling. I had the roof replaced during the month of July, hoping to avoid the problems of a downpour. That year, the temperature in South Bend soared into the high eighties and even the nineties nearly every day. With no roof on the house, we couldn’t run the air conditioner. The living space became horribly overheated and sticky. There was dirt, debris and bugs to deal with. However, once the new roof was in place, I noticed a huge difference in our level of comfort. The air conditioner was able to cool the home down within an hour. My monthly electric bill was drastically lower. The next winter, I was able to set a lower thermostat setting. I paid less in heating bills and yet the home was perfectly warm and cozy.